My Brother's Keeper
by Suffering Angel
Summary: So much for being a nigh-omnipotent mage, Tommy thought and scrunched his nose at his twin, who was currently a decade younger than usual. At least he was past the diaper-stage…


I don't own YA.

This was a request on tumblr.

* * *

**_My Brother's Keeper_**

It was about two past noon that a commotion woke Tommy up from quite a nice nap. It was rest he needed desperately due to a trip he came back from just the day before, and so he wasn't a happy camper when he woke up. Of course, it wasn't a question of who - few people had reason to step into the formerly-abandoned Bishop publishing house that served as the Young Avengers' Lair - only the Young Avengers.

"I'm going to _kill_ them." He declared and moved off the bed - straight to the floor.

"Ow!"

The scene that greeted him was even louder than he thought. The team was in its full roster at the time - Patriot, who kept barking, like usual; Hawkeye, who was as foxy as ever; Vizh, who was Vizh; aaand one green, lean, smashing machine - Hulkling. And then-  
Wait, scratch that. It wasn't the _full_ roster, Tommy noted. His would-be twin was missing. Then why did he think Wiccan was with them-  
Ah, Hulkling was holding his cape... for _some_ reason. So Cape-Freak gave his cape up? That was a first.

"Ah, shut it, you're so loud!" He berated loudly before stifling a yawn. The group fell silent and turned to look at the newcomer.

"Look who's back." Eli greeted in a rather cynical tone as he took off his mask. "Where were you?"

"Personal business." Came the simple reply, and it was obvious Tommy had no intentions of sharing more. Eli wouldn't have any of that, but he was too slow, and Tommy managed to change the subject.  
"So, what, Beels got lost? Such a _talented_ boy..."

No one replied to the sarcastic comment, instead all eyes turned to the red bundle in Teddy's arms, which Tommy realized then was - _moving_.

"Pleasetellmeyou'rejoking."

The bundle shifted again, making the cape move and reveal what's inside.

"Well. That's a plot twist."

Curled up in his cape and the uniform that was too big for him was Billy. A too-short, too-thin, overall too-small, six, maybe seven years old Billy. He looked peaceful and cozy, his small fingers clutching onto Teddy's shirt.

"Your relationship just got _really_ disturbing."

Teddy tightened his hold over Billy and gave Tommy a weary, annoyed look. Eli pinched his nose.

"I _knew_ I could trust you to understand the gravity of the situation, Tommy."

"Always", the Speedster grinned and turned to Kate, his demeanor changing instantly. "So what happened?"

"Magic, of course." Kate began and pulled off her scarf. "He took one for us, and when the light faded... well, you can see for yourself."

And what Tommy saw was a de-aged... _drooling_ version of his spiritual twin. Lovely, he thought.  
"And the guy behind it?"

"Got away." Eli growled, fists clenched.

"We're going to find Strange." Kate interjected, dragging the conversation back into a hopefully more productive direction. "He'll know how to get him back to normal."

"Should know, you mean." Tommy corrected. "Nothing saying he will."

A rather morbid silence fell, only to be broken by the Vision who finally had something of value to offer.  
"He's the Sorcerer Supreme, Tommy. He should at least have an idea where to look, and who to ask."

"Which is more than what we have right now." Teddy finally broke his silence and frowned down at the bundle in his arms. He looked up before long, the worry and anxiety buried under determination.

"Right." Eli agreed. "Ok, so Vizh and I will go contact who we can of the Avengers, see where we can find Strange. Kate'll go get some... _kid_ equipment."

"Haven't spent money on such a good cause in a while." She laughed softly and went to change to her civics. Tommy stared blankly back at the glare Eli offered him before he turned to Teddy.

"So, what, that leaves us to _babysit_, doesn't it?" He asked, only to find himself with little-Billy in his arms.

"Only you." Teddy answered, his harsh demeanor breaking when he looked down at Billy.  
Tommy had to quirk a brow.

"Why? Where are you-" He began asking, only to let out a tiny 'oh' sound when Teddy shifted, his appearance changing into that of his boyfriend's.

"Someone needs to make sure his parents don't catch on."

"...right." Tommy muttered.  
Soon everyone else had left, and Tommy still had an armful of kid to deal with.

"At least now you can't say I'm not the older-" He said, only to blink once he realized Billy was awake and staring at him, eyes wide.  
"-one. Hey-"

Right. How much did Billy remember of them, again?

"Wha- hey! Wai- Biting?! You bite?! The hell, Kaplan!"

–

It didn't matter what or who Billy did remember - he didn't remember Tommy. Either that, or being reduced to a seven-years-old dragged out all his aggression towards the speedster.  
Memo to self - be less mean to Billy, Tommy thought. Well, maybe.  
The problem right then was that regardless of _that_ situation, Tommy had to _find_ Billy, first. He really couldn't rule out Billy could use his powers, but either way, the kid disappeared on him and was impossible to find. Tommy looked _everywhere_, using his speed to make sure the kid couldn't get past him, but still - nothing. Zilch. Nada (_had_ to have been his powers, had to...). Tommy was about to call for backup, but stopped with his hand halfway for his phone.  
What was he thinking? If he admitted he couldn't handle a kid - _a kid_! That's what Billy was right then! a snot-nosed brat! Well, maybe not snot-nosed, but- anyway, he'd surely never hear the end of it. Not after Molly.  
Perhaps it was time to change his strategy, he thought and held his hand to the side of his mouth.

"Gee, I _really_ can't find him. Wonder where he ran off to!" A moment's pause, and nothing happened. Well, _this_ was likely to get a reaction-

"I guess I'll just eat all that _pizza_ by myself-"

The weak growling of a small stomach came from behind him, and Tommy had to fend off a victorious snarl.

"Pizza?" The boy asked, and Tommy took a moment to look him over. He was clumsily dressed in Tommy's clothes, after various improvisations to make them hold while Kate got him some actual clothes his size. He had that same knowing, slightly infuriating look in his eyes he had as a teen, and regarded Tommy with obvious distrust and also the kind of interest only hungry children could show. For a moment Tommy felt for him, especially when he reminded himself how independent the guy could usually be. To be reduced to this...

"Yeah, I'm thinking extra cheese, some onions..." He trailed off and gauged Billy's reactions from the corner of his eye. The boy still seemed apprehensive about even staying out in the open for this long, but finally rubbed his stomach before giving Tommy a rather determined look.

"No olives."

"Huh." Tommy huffed but finally shrugged and grinned. "I think we can work out a compromise."

–

Kate came back after half the pizza was gone, mostly thanks to Tommy. Billy seemed more at ease around her, a fact Tommy wasn't surprised by, but still found to be rather infuriating.

"How's it going so far?" Kate asked when Tommy and her retreated to the kitchen to wash the dishes, leaving Billy by the TV.  
Tommy rolled his eyes and put the non-disposable plates back in the cabinet.

"Well, you know. _Kids_." He replied plainly, but his companion wasn't impressed.

"Ah ha. That's convincing."

Tommy hissed out a cuss and narrowed his eyes.  
"He _bit_ me."

A laugh tore out of Kate's mouth and she quickly covered her lips with her hand.

"It's not funny! It really hurt! ...look!"  
He pulled his sleeve up, but look as hard as she did, Kate saw nothing.

"There's nothing there, Tommy."

"It must've already healed..."

"Ooh, poor baby."

"Kiss it better?" He purred. She smiled and turned away.

"Hey, I had to try!" He objected and growled softly.  
Kate bade her farewell from Billy, who seemed quite distraught by her departure, but eventually relented and settled back down on the couch.  
Tommy met Kate by the door, and glanced into the living-room area.

"So, uh. Any news from the guys?"

"Billy's brothers are driving Teddy up the walls. Other than that-" She gave him a pointed look, one saying she wasn't going to have no 'that's not what I meant!' out of him before she finished.  
"They're still on it."

Tommy huffed.  
"Human speed. Phe!"

The girl snickered and waved one last time at Billy.  
"Well then," She said and reached to hold Tommy's hand. He blinked once, and again when she kissed two of her fingers before pressing them over where Tommy claimed Billy bit him.

"Hang in there, tough guy."

Tommy was left staring, and followed Kate with his eyes until the door closed behind her. He stalled for a moment before turning back inside, and made eye contact with Billy. The kid had this _knowing_ look in his eyes that made Tommy grit his teeth.

"_What_?!"

"Nothing." Billy replied and turned his attention back to the screen.  
The physically older of the two quirked a brow at the uninterested aura the kid was giving off.

"I thought this was your favorite episode?"

"It's still a rerun."

Tommy nodded idly and studied the kid. He seemed rather subdued, sober, somehow, but as he wasn't talking about it, there was a limit to what Tommy could do. At least he wasn't _zapping_ all over the place, Tommy thought, which meant he could try other methods of approaching Billy.

"Well, you have fun with that. I'll see what Kate brought us." He said and turned towards the bags the girl left behind. Billy showed some interest, but Tommy ignored it for the time being as to not discourage the kid.  
"Ok, let's see... clothes, more clo- no, pajamas, aaand- ah ha!" Tommy let out a victorious cry and pulled out a small box. The printed image on it was incriminating - it was a rubber duck. Billy's eyes widened and he tried to grab it, but Tommy quickly pulled it out of reach.

"Di~ibs!" The speedster declared and held his nose high.

"Hey, no fair!" The child objected. "I didn't know we were racing!"

Tommy showed little interest in the bag after that and left it for Billy to rummage through.  
"Too bad, kid. At least _I_ won't be bathing alo-"

"_Awesome_!" Came Billy's excited exclamation, and Tommy turned to see him holding up another duck, this one shaped and colored after Iron-Man.

"Woah, that-"

"_Di~ibs_!"

A tense silence fell after that, one that had the two practically glaring at each other. Finally Tommy narrowed his eyes and pointed at Billy.

"You win this one, kid-"

"Weeee!"

"But this isn't over yet!" Tommy insisted, even when Billy was already on his way to the bathroom with the Iron-Duck and a change of clothes.

"Hey! … I'll _race_-"  
Tommy managed to see Billy stop and turn to face him before the boy vanished in a bright blue flash, his belongings with him. Soon after came the sound of the bathroom's door opening.

"That's cheating!" Tommy yelled, only to raise his brow in a rather impressed manner.  
"...nice move, though."

He then sped over as well, still not trusting the kid all on his own in the bathtub.

–

They ate, they washed up (Billy even let Tommy play with his ducky, and Tommy _only_ did so for the kid, yes?), and finally were ready for bed. Billy was fairly worn out by then (Tommy attributed it to him using his powers while like that), and after the third time Tommy caught the kid nodding off during Earth's Mightiest Heroes (Teddy's DVDs...), he decided it was bed-time. Billy growled and complained, but Tommy left no room for debate when he simply picked the kid up in his arms and headed upstairs, towards Teddy's currently vacant room.

"You can barely keep your eyes open, so stop complaining."

Setting the kid down wasn't that much trouble, but that brought with it the realization it was a bit too little trouble, and that made Tommy stay by him for a moment. Billy was sitting up in the bed, staring at nothing. Tommy quirked a brow and nibbled on his lower lip.

"You, uh... need a nightlight or something?"

Billy shook his head.

"Another trip to the bathroom?"

Again.

"Oh, c'mon, you're supposed to be used to Ted's bed, you sleep here all the ti-"

Tommy's brain screeched to a halt. Waaaaaitwaitwaitwait- _WAIT_. What was he even- Billy was _seven_ right then! What was Tommy talking about- wai- _WAIT_. _HOW MUCH DID HE REMEMB-_

"Tommy?" Billy asked weakly, effectively snapping Tommy out of that derailed train of thought. The teen blinked down at his brother before his eyes softened. Billy looked up uncertainly, miserably, even.

"What is it, kid?" Tommy asked, his voice soft. Billy hesitated for a moment, but then gulped and mustered his courage to ask-

"When can I go home?"

Ah. He should've seen that question coming, Tommy realized. As he didn't, it hit him pretty hard, leaving him quite disoriented and speechless.  
Right. Even if, for a moment, he assumed Billy remembered everything - something that seemed unlikely given that day's events - he was currently seven years old. Of course he'd want to be home, in his own bed, with his biological, undeniable family, not in some bed in some refurbished warehouse with his "brother, and it's complicated". Lucky kid had someplace to go to, after all...  
Tommy gulped before sitting down on the bed. He looked down first, at Billy's purple-and-black Hawkeye pajamas (oh Kate...), and when he looked back up, he offered Billy a small smile.

"They're working on it, don't worry."

"They?" The boy asked uncertainly. "Kate and the guys?"

"Them, too, but not just. The Avengers are also helping."

That had the expected reaction, even if a slightly dimmed one. Billy's eyes widened a bit, and there was an enthusiastic glint in them.

"Really?!"

"Yep! Doc Strange, too, you like him, don't you?"

Billy nodded slowly and took his time, taking it all in. Still, it wasn't enough to cheer him up, and Tommy couldn't blame him.

"_When_, though?" Billy insisted, and Tommy let out a small sigh, his hand resting on Billy's head.

"Tomorrow, I guess."

"Oh." The sound was sad and weak, and Tommy felt his chest tightening. So he ruffled Billy's hair and flashed him a grin.

"Hey, don't give me that! It'll all work out! And until it does, I'll look after you, ok?!"

The enthusiastic manner in which he carried himself did the trick, because Billy nodded and smiled back.

"Ok."

"Good! Now-" Tommy hummed and pulled up the blanket. "Move over, runt. I need some room."

Billy obliged, and before long Tommy was lying down, with Billy curled up against him, lying more over Tommy than the mattress.

"There we go. Isn't this comfy."  
He felt Billy's head nodding against his chest. He also felt the boy going limp and still.

"Yeah, that's the spirit." Tommy muttered and stared up at the ceiling before he resigned himself to sleep, too.  
Man, he thought. What a day.

–

Teddy wasn't quite sure _what_ he walked in on the next day, but he was certain he should take a picture of it. Having done so, he left his room as quietly as he could, and only then turned to stare at the photo displaying on his phone.  
There Tommy was, snoring soundly, with Billy half lying over him - a once-again teenaged Billy, who seemed quite content, clinging to his twin in his sleep.


End file.
